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ADDRESS 



TO 



THE CITIZENS 



OF THE 



COUNTY OF PLYMOUTH. 



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PLYMOUTH CONVENTION. 

A. CONVENTION of Delegates from the several- towns in 
the County of Plymouth, chosen by towns and the friends of 
Peace in said County, met at Plymouth on the 29th instant, and 
ihose the Hon. Joshua Thomas, esquire, President, and John 
Winslow, esquire, Secretary of the Convention. The Throne 
of Grace was then addressed in an appropriate prayer by the 
Rev. Mr. Kendall, and the purposes of the Convention opened 
and explained by the President. 

A Committee was chosen, to prepare and report a respectful 
Address to the President of the United States, and such Resolu- 
tions, as the state of the times required. 

The Convention then adjourned to the next day, for the pur- 
pose of hearing and considering the Report of their Committee, 
which being read, considered, and its direction altered, was unan- 
imously adopted as the sentiments of the Convention, and order- 
ed to be printed and distributed through the County. 

The Committee apologized to the Convention for directing 
their Address to the Citizens of the County, and not to the Pres- 
ident of the United States, and stated as the reason, — that 
lately the President and Congress had been addressed by the 
Citizens of the County ; that the War declared, appeared an 
Executive measure ; and that it was in vain to expect from our 
present Rulers any change : they took the liberty therefore to vary 
their address, and to direct it to the fountain of power in a free 
government, THE PEOPLE, which apology was accepted by 
the Convention. 

Five gentlemen were then chosen, to represent the County of 
Plymouth in a State Convention, if one should be called ; and the / 
Delegates separated in perfect harmony, and with increased af- / 
(lection for each other. 

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Citizens of the County of Plymouth : 

THE members of a Convention assembled at Ply- 
mouth, from the several towns in the county, consider 
it their duty to address you, on the interesting and ca- 
lamitous situation of our common country. 

They address you in the language of that Constitution, 
which the people of these States ordained and established, 
" to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure 
" domestick tranquillity, provide for the common de- 
" fence, promote the general welfare, and secure the bles- 
" sings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." 

The objects of this social compact cannot be misun- 
stood, and need not be explained. The care and solici- 
tude discovered in its adoption, and the patriotism that 
caused a concession of all that justice required from this 
section of the union, is neither forgotten or lamented, 
The best Constitution of civil government, however, 
affords but a weak protection to any people, unless it is 
administered in the spirit, and for the purposes, for 
which it was originally established. 

The Republicks of the old world are no more ; Force, 
Intrigue,or Corrupt Administrations, have changed their 
destinies, and numbered them with the dead. America 
is the worlds last hope of a Republick, and the anxiety 
of her citizens to preserve it, ought to be proportioned 
to the magnitude of the blessing. 

Were our times tranquil and prosperous, it would be 
justifiable and proper, but in a season of peril and dis- 
tress like the present, it is a duty, a sacred obligation, 
to recur to first principles, and compare the conduct of our 
Rulers,with the objects they were chosen to obtain. 

War is the last resort of nations, made necessary by 
the corruption of our species ; is an evil to be depreca- 
ted at all times, and ought to excite inquiry and careful 
examination, into our past political conduct. 

Can we come to this enquiry in a better way, than by 
considering how far the Administration has sought the 
objects, for which the Constitution was established ? 
Permit us to state them, and propose to you several ques- 
tions, which deserve your most serious consideration 
and reflection. 

In the preamble to "the Constitution of the United. 
States, declaring its objects, it is said :— " We the pec 




" pic of theseUnited States, in order to form a more perfect 
" Union,— establish justice, — insure domestick tranquil - 
" lity, — provide for the common defence, — promote the 
" general welfare, — and secure the blessings of Liberty to 
" ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish 
" this Constitution, for the United States of America." 

By the above declaration it is evident, a more perfect 
union of the States was an object of primary importance, 
in the adoption of the present Constitution ; " united we 
stood, divided we Jell ;" and to secure and perpetuate this 
union, was worthy that wisdom which framed, and sub- 
sequently adopted the Constitution ; and that man or 
body of men, whose objects and conduct tend to a sep- 
aration of what is thus joined together, are enemies to 
the prosperity and happiness of these United States. 

But we well remember, fellow-citizens, the opposing 
interests of the Northern and Southern sections of the 
Union, at the time this Constitution was adopted. It 
was the voice of compromise, which called the " North 
to give up, and the South not to keep back- ;" and stip- 
ulations were solemnly made, that, in the administration 
of this government, the local interests of the citizens 
should be consulted, as far as the general interest of the 
whole would permit. 

Pardon the inquiry, fellow-citizens, Has this been done ? 

Was it to form a more perfect union, that our Navy 
has been suffered to rot in our docks, while our Com- 
merce has passed into the hands of our enemies ? Were 
the Embargo and Non -intercourse laws, by which the 
commerce of New-England has been annihilated, calcu- 
lated to cement this more perfect union ? Is the decla- 
ration of War against Great-Britain, by which the Com- 
mercial States will be called to fight the battles and pay 
the expense, expressly against their will, calculated to 
preserve this more perfect union ? Is the system of 
Taxation, the Standing Army; the prospect of an Alli- 
ance with France, imended to bind this union under the 
protection of the French Emperor ? 

But the people proposed, by the adoption of the Con- 
stitution, not only to form a more perfect union of these 
States, but to establish, jus' 

Has this been done ? We ask but one question un- 
der this head. Was it just in government to proclaim 
the Berlin and Milan decrees of the French Emperor 



repealed, inducing our citizens to embark their property 
on the ocean, in confidence of the truth of the declara- 
tion, by which millions of the hard earnings of our fel- 
low-citizens have been sequestered, sunk, burnt, an 
destroyed ? and instead of procuring for them prom 
indemnification, to declare war against another power, 
who has injured us in a less degree ; yet who were in 
a situation, after the declaration was made, to capture, 
what France had left us. Is this justice to the Com- 
mercial part of the community ? 

We were promised under this Constitution, the in- 
surance of our domestwk tranquillity ; by which we un- 
derstand, not only that qui fire -sides should be defended, 
but that the several States should be made tranquil, by 
the justice and impartiality of the Administration pre- 
siding over the whole. 

Has this been effected ? Is the exclusion of almost 
our Revolutionary Patriots from office, to make way fpf 
the parasites of Presidential favour, the way to insure 
doraestick tranquillity ? Is domestick tranquillity in- 
sured, by the interest members of the general govern- 
ment and officers of their appointment have taken, in 
our State elections ? 

Was the fifty thousand dollars paid to Henry, his con- 
cealment and passage out of the country lest he should 
be examined before a proper tribunal, the purchase 
money of this insurance ? Was his journey to Massa- 
chusetts, and pretended connexion with our best Pa- 
triots, the patent method of insuring this tranquillity ? 
And when by his own confession it appears, he found 
the federalists — men of " great integrity of intention?'' 
and not one single name disclosed, as favourable to his 
views, was it conciliatory in the government, to discredit 
their own witness, to publish their suspicions that he had 
effected his purpose ? Strange method this, to insure 
domestick tranquillity!! , 

The Constitution enjoins on the Administration to 
" to provide for the common defence." Has this been done? 

Common defence must imply, not only the defence of 
our Persons, Harbours and Frontiers, but the Property 
common to our citizens. Have our Persons been pro- 
tected — our Seaports fortified — or our Frontiers defend- 
ed, against this sudden declaration of War ? let our citi- 
zens now returning from Halifax, prisoners of war, an- 



swer the question : Has the army, which is to " defend 
commerce" marched to our sea -coasts ? Have the de- 
fenceless Inhabitants, living on the borders of numerous 
Indian Tribes, been defended, from the scalping-knife of 
the savage ? Have our Seamen doine; business on the 
waters, and our Merchants vending the surplus produce 
of our soil in foreign climes, been defended in their 
lawful commerce ? or have their vessels and cargoes 
been sent to the bottom, by force of a Repealed Decree ? 
and our brave Seamen marched from Prison to Prison like 
malefactors, because they belonged to a Nation " without 
honour, energy or spirit ?" Have our citizens been defen- 
ded against foreign influence and intrigue ? or have they 
been taught by an evident partiality in the Administra- 
tion, to disbelieve the horrid consequences of an Alliance 
with France ? are we following Switzerland, Holland, 
and Geneva, who were first seduced, then betrayed, 
and then undone ? 

And lastly, has the general welfare been promoted 
and the blessings of Liberty secured to us and our c/iil- 
dren ? This was the object, these were the views and 
stipulations, by which the people of these United States 
were induced to establish a general government, and form 
this social compact ; and it was the duty of the Admin- 
istration, and it ever will be, to secure them its enjoy- 
ment. Has this been done ? 

Contrast the present welfare of these United States 
with former periods of the Government ; compare the 
last ten years, with the administrations of Washing- 
ton and Adams. Where is our respectability abroad or 
our tranquillity at home ? Where is our overflowing 
Treasury,our productive Commerce,our well established 
Credit ? Alas, we have purchased Louisiana, deposited 
our active capital in the funds of Bonaparte, and fail in 
our Credit to borrow more. The phalanx of Direct and 
Indirect Taxation is organized ; the Administration has 
cunningly ordered it to halt, lest its deformity should 
frighten the peopic,before another Presidential Election. 

In the language therefore of the Constitution of our 
native State, we say, " the end of the institution, main* 
" tenance, and administration of government being, to 
" secure the existence of the body politick, to protect 
r< it, and furnish the individuals who comp\ose it, 
" with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquillity 



" their natural rights and the blessings of life ; when- 
" ever these great objects are not obtained, the People 
" have a right, to take measures necessary for their 
" safety prosperity, and happiness." Our Constitutions 
of government we admire ; the Union of these States 
we shall seek to preserve ; but the measures of Admin- 
istration must be changed, or they will destroy the 
Union. As sons ol the pilgrims who first landed on 
these shores, we are jealous of our liberties, and we 
know how to defend them. Our fathers taught us to 
live free, we will not die Siaves. Let the Pension- 
ers of power call us Rebels, Insurgents, and Opposers of 
the Government, we know the distinction between the 
Government, and the Administration of that Government, 
and it shall be our business to demonstrate, we have 
more liberty than the colony of Jamaica. To convince 
you, fellow-citizens, that Measures more than Men, are 
our object of change, when any Administration em- 
braces the first opportunity which presents, to bring 
the present impolitick war to an honourable conclusion ; 
and adjusts existing difficulties with the power with 
which we are at war, by amicable negociation ; avoid- 
ing any entangling Alliance with France ; conducting 
the affairs of the nation, independent of any foreign dic- 
tation j preserving an impartial neutrality with the pow- 
ers at war ; restoring the ancient channels of Commerce ; 
disbanding a useless Army, to build and support a useful 
Navy ; we shall, with all that is dear to us in life, cling 
to the administration which effec- s it ; and endeavour to 
forget all we have suffered, in the hope of future protection. 

Claiming therefore, as citizens of a Free State, the 
right to convene and consult for the common good, 
and to express our opinions upon the measures of our 
Government and the conduct of our Rulers, we are com- 
pelled to the exercise of this right, by the critical and 
disastrous state of our country. Therefore, 

Resolved, chat the War declared by the United States 
against Great-Bii*ain,vv as in its origin, inexpedient, — un- 
necessary, — unjust and dishonourable : inexpedient, as 
our county was not prepared for it : unnecessary, as we 
couid obtain more by negociation, than we have reason 
to expect from war : unjust, as there did not exist an 
adequate cause : and dishonourable, as it resulted from an 
undue bias in favour ofFrance,in our National Councils. 




nesolved, that War should be the last resort of nations, 
that its causes ought to be so evident and palpable, as to 
produce a general sentiment in favour of its justice and 
propriety, and rouse every patriotick citizen to vindicate 
trie rights of his country. 

Received, that we deprecate an Alliance with that per- 
vious and unprincipled Tyrant, who by force and fraud 
h \s devastated and enslaved the fairest portion of Eu- 
, and who in his lawless ambition for power, seeks 
iie dominion of the world ; for we believe such an 
lUance will kindle the fire, and bind ourselves and chil- 
dren, victims to this modern Moloch, whom immolated 
millions leaves unsatiated. 

Resolved, that the conduct of the Representatives in 
Congress from this State who voted for War, evinces a 
contempt of the feelings, and a shameless abandonment 
of the interest of their Constituents, and manifests either 
a gross ignorance of duty; or a slavish servility to Ex- 
ecutive Mandate. 

Resolved, we consider the recent attempts of the 
President to gain the control of the Militia, an invasion 
of State Sovereignty, and that the Executive of this 
Commonwealth, in resisting this invasion, has conformed 
to the provision of the Constitution, has increased his 
claim to the gratitude of his fellow citizens, and mani- 
fested that attachment to their rights, which has charac- 
terised his life. 

Resolved, that it is the duty of the Senators of this 
'ounty, to concur with the House of Representatives, in 
appointing Electors of President and Vice- President of the 
United States, in one of the modes by them proposed ; 
and it is the opinion of this Convention, by a refusal to 
jur, they will forfeit all claim to the confidence, and 
t jtcem of their Constituents. 

Resolved, our feelings revolt at the idea of a division 

these United States ; yet we believe a due regard to 

the interest of every portion of the Union, will be the 

only means to continue it, and perpetuate the blessings 

of our excellent Constitution. 

JOSHUA THOMAS, President. 

John Win slow, Secretary. 

Plymouth, July 30,1812. 



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